Pallbearers hold the casket bearing Kwavon'tia Thomas after his memorial service at Unity Baptist Church in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. Thomas, 18, died in a Christmas Eve shooting in North Las Vegas. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Timika Thomas, left, during the memorial service for her son, Kwavon'tia Thomas, at Unity Baptist Church in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. Thomas, 18, died in a Christmas Eve shooting in North Las Vegas. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

People bow their heads in prayer during a memorial service for Kwavon'tia Thomas at Unity Baptist Church in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. Thomas, 18, died in a Christmas Eve shooting in North Las Vegas. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Timika Thomas, left, is consoled during the memorial service for her son, Kwavon'tia Thomas, at Unity Baptist Church in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. Thomas, 18, died in a Christmas Eve shooting in North Las Vegas. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Timika Thomas, right, is embraced before the start of memorial services for her son, Kwavon'tia Thomas, at Unity Baptist Church in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. Thomas, 18, died in a Christmas Eve shooting in North Las Vegas. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

CJ Endsley, 8, left is consoled after a memorial service for Kwavon'tia Thomas at Unity Baptist Church in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. Thomas, 18, died in a Christmas Eve shooting in North Las Vegas. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

C.J. Endsley, 8, remembers Kwavon'tia Thomas during a memorial service at Unity Baptist Church in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. Thomas, 18, died in a Christmas Eve shooting in North Las Vegas. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Pallbearers hold the casket bearing Kwavon'tia Thomas after his memorial service at Unity Baptist Church in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. Thomas, 18, died in a Christmas Eve shooting in North Las Vegas. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Timika Thomas looks at her son, Kwavon'tia Thomas, during his memorial service at Unity Baptist Church in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. Thomas, 18, died in a Christmas Eve shooting in North Las Vegas. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Timika Thomas sings in memory of her son, Kwavon'tia Thomas, at his memorial service at Unity Baptist Church in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. Thomas, 18, died in a Christmas Eve shooting in North Las Vegas. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Timika Thomas, center left, is consoled during the memorial service for her son, Kwavon'tia Thomas, at Unity Baptist Church in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. Thomas, 18, died in a Christmas Eve shooting in North Las Vegas. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Photos are displayed in a slideshow during a memorial service for Kwavon'tia Thomas at Unity Baptist Church in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. Thomas, 18, died in a Christmas Eve shooting in North Las Vegas. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Tatiana Valentine reads the obituary of Kwavon'tia Thomas during his memorial service at Unity Baptist Church in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. Thomas, 18, died in a Christmas Eve shooting in North Las Vegas. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Timika Thomas, center, is consoled during the memorial service for her son, Kwavon'tia Thomas, at Unity Baptist Church in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. Thomas, 18, died in a Christmas Eve shooting in North Las Vegas. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Pallbearers hold the casket bearing Kwavon'tia Thomas after his memorial service at Unity Baptist Church in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. Thomas, 18, died in a Christmas Eve shooting in North Las Vegas. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

When the casket closed, Timika Thomas collapsed into her seat, crying as if the air were too thick to swallow inside the northeast Las Vegas church.

Just moments before on Saturday morning, she was hunched over Kwavon’tia Gregory Thomas’ body and planting kisses on his face. It would be the last time she would see her 18-year-old son.

Behind her, an audience of more than a hundred loved ones dressed in red and white — his favorite colors — watched from their seats at Unity Baptist Church as Timika Thomas wailed.

A group of people rushed to her side to console her, and Thomas clenched her fists. Rocking back and forth in her seat, she punched the top of her knees repeatedly, her head tilted, chin to the ceiling, as if she was searching for something. But her eyes remained shut, revealing the red glitter painted across her eyelids.

Kwavon’tia Thomas was born Aug. 18, 2000, in Pomona, California, to Timika Thomas and Edward Southhall, but he grew up in Las Vegas.

He was known to his family as “Nudy,” a nickname given to him when he was little because he would always strip down.

“Mom, he’s getting naked again,” his brothers were often heard saying, according to his family.

He loved listening to music, swimming, playing video games and shooting hoops. But most of all, he loved his family and friends.

So much so, that, during his celebration of life Saturday, it was difficult to discern family members from friends. Nearly every person who shared their favorite memories of Kwavon’tia Thomas declared into the microphone that they loved him like he was family.

His mother did not speak during the service, but instead sang a song titled “My Worship is Real” in his memory.

”You don’t know my story, all the things that I’ve been through,” Timika Thomas, dressed in red from head to toe, belted into the microphone. Her voice cracked at times as she choked back more tears.

Peering at her son’s casket from the podium, she sang a little louder, “You can’t feel my pain, what I had to go through to get here.”

Her powerful voice filled the large church as the white veneer of the casket glistened under the faint light streaming in through the church’s windows. Outside, it was cold and gray.

“I’m going to sing that part one more time,” she said, drawing applause from her family and friends who were now standing in support.

But Timika Thomas wasn’t crying anymore. Interrupting the chorus, she yelled and pointed to the ceiling, “Thank you, God, for 18 years with my baby.”

“I’m going to see my baby again,” she said, her voice trailing off as she walked away from the microphone.

Now standing at her son’s side, she kissed his forehead and cheeks. In a motherly gesture, Timika Thomas lifted her gaze to admire her son’s features, then readjusted the collar of his red button-down shirt.

CCSD police arrested Chaparral High School custodian Deamonte Warren on Friday on three counts of a school employee having sex with a student and an additional count of providing alcohol to a minor. (Courtesy CCSD Police)

Woman charged with sex trafficking an 11-year-old girl on the Strip (Michael Quine)

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A motorcycle officer pulled over a Mercedes SUV, and after the officer came to a stop, it shifted into reverse, intentionally hitting the officer.

Thedrick Andres becomes Henderson Police Department acting chief

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2 dead, 1 wounded after east valley neighborhood shooting

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Richard Cleaves of Pahrump arrested in burglary on former Binion property

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Ex-NFL player and girlfriend held without bail in child’s death

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"90 Day Fiance" stars Colt Johnson and his mother Debra left the Las Vegas Justice Center Thursday, after the court granted Larissa dos Santos Lima a continuance in her misdemeanor case, in which she is accused of domestic violence against Colt. (Mat Luschek / Review-Journal)

Details released on in-custody death

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The community joined friends and family at Wilbur & Theresa Faiss Park, Wednesday evening, to remember the boy who was struck and killed by a car crossing South Fort Apache Road from Faiss Park, near West Maule Avenue, on Monday. (Mat Luschek / Review-Journal)

Person of Interest Found For Downtown Las Vegas Bar - Video

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is seeking help to find a person of interest in a potential homicide case at a bar in downtown Las Vegas.

Metro briefs media on OIS near downtown Las Vegas

Police address media about officer-involved shooting that started on Maryland and Vegas Valley, and concluded downtown, near the Golden Nugget.

Update on OIS at Vegas Valley and Maryland

The incident began at the Steinberg Diagnostic Medical parking lot and ended downtown.

Amy And Spencer Powell Recount Hit And Run

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Jeremy Burch of Tonopah arrested in Amarillo, TX

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Metro Presser For OIS 6 (Full)

Metro police address the officer involved shooting that took place on March 19, 2019.

Metro Presser For OIS 6

Metro police address the officer involved shooting that took place on March 19, 2019.

Domestic disturbance call ends in suicide

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20-year-old armed robbery suspect shot by Las Vegas police

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Commercial Robbery On 3000 Block Of North Las Vegas Blvd - VIDEO

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